For better or worse, its at least not "normal"

So we finally are getting some answers. Naomi's biopsy came back showing scarring and inflammation. We expected to see a fatty liver due to her malnutrition issues, not this. Dr. D sent the sample down to UCSF to double check and get a pathologists opinion and the best match is autoimmune hepatitis. It's not an exact match, with the patterns I guess, and but all the other tests and what they saw in the biospy leads to an autoimmune hepatitis. We will draw blood later this week to determine which type. I guess its even possible those will come back negative, but this is where everything seems to be pointing. In most cases this disease doesn't show up til folks are in their teens, so she is, as usual, an odd case. Also it is likely that this autoimmune disorder is why she has chronic pancreatitis. Her body is attacking itself.

The good news is finally someone has said to me "we think the itching is caused by the liver." Hallelujah! I've only been saying this for over a year now, and the even better news, there is something she can take to help. Its a bile salt that can help with itching and may even help with the inflammation. And it has few, if any side effects. That she starts right away. The treatment for the hepatitis I'm not sure of, that will be figured out when they get the lab work later this week.

So today I give thanks for a test that's not "normal." We don't want there to be a problem, but when you know something is wrong and no one can figure it out, its so hard. You feel helpless. Now we know where to start and hopefully what to treat to make her life better.